Oxyrhynchus Papyri


The Oxyrhynchus Papyri are a group of manuscripts discovered during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by papyrologists Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Surridge Hunt at an ancient rubbish dump near Oxyrhynchus in Egypt.
The manuscripts date from the time of the Ptolemaic and Roman periods of Egyptian history.
Only an estimated 10% are literary in nature. Most of the papyri found seem to consist mainly of public and private documents: codes, edicts, registers, official correspondence, census-returns, tax-assessments, petitions, court-records, sales, leases, wills, bills, accounts, inventories, horoscopes, and private letters.
Although most of the papyri were written in Greek, some texts written in Egyptian, Latin and Arabic were also found. Texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac and Pahlavi have so far represented only a small percentage of the total.
Since 1898, academics have collated and transcribed over 5,000 documents from what were originally hundreds of boxes of papyrus fragments the size of large cornflakes. This is thought to represent only 1 to 2% of what is estimated to be at least half a million papyri still remaining to be conserved, transcribed, deciphered and catalogued. The most recent published volume was Vol. LXXXVIII,.
Oxyrhynchus Papyri are currently housed in institutions all over the world. A substantial number are housed in the Bodleian Art Library at Oxford University. There is an online table of contents briefly listing the type of contents of each papyrus or fragment.

Administrative texts

Administrative documents assembled and transcribed from the Oxyrhynchus excavation encompass a wide variety of legal matters, such as marriages, employment contracts, and censuses. Some of the more notable papyri transcribed so far include:
  • The contract of a wrestler agreeing to throw his next match for a fee.
  • Various and sundry ancient recipes for treating haemorrhoids, hangovers and cataracts.
  • Details of a grain dole mirroring a similar program in the Roman capital.
  • Tryphon and Saraeus:
  • * Tryphon, son of Dionysus, and Saraeus, daughter of Apion, a married couple are mentioned in several administrative papyri, detailing their various brushes with legal authorities in Oxyrhynchus.
  • * However, before Tryphon married Saraeus, he had a wife called Demetrous, daughter of Heraclides. After their divorce, Tryphon complains to the strategus, Alexander, that she has stolen several of his belongings. The papyrus is too damaged, however, to correctly ascertain what these are.
  • * In 37 CE, the couple appears in a marriage contract, almost entirely concerned with Saraeus' dowry. Most surviving marriage contracts keep similar detail on dowries and other assets, in case of divorce.
  • * However Tryphon's first wife, it seems, had not forgiven him. The same year as his second marriage, he petitions the strategus again, this time alleging that Demetrous and her mother have attacked Saraeus. The response from the strategus, Sotas, is unknown.
  • * In 49 CE, Saraeus was summoned before the strategus as part of a case between her and an employer. She has been contracted as a wet-nurse for a foundling, who had died during her employment. Pesouris, her employer, accused her of kidnapping the child to pose as her own. Paison, the strategus, ruled that the living child was Saraeus', and that in return she must pay back her wages.
  • * However, several months, later, Tryphon is petitioning Capito, the praefectus, complaining that Saraeus' former employer is refusing to co-operate with Paison's ruling, and 'hinders in trade'.
  • * In 51 CE, Tryphon files another complaint, presumably to the strategus, that he and Saraeus were attacked by unnamed women in the street.
In addition to detailing the cases themselves, these legal documents provide interesting insight into everyday life under Graeco-Roman occupied Egypt, and are often overlooked beside its pharaonic predecessor. For example, Saraeus' hearing with strategus Paison reveal that courts used the Roman names for year, marked by the reign of the emperor, but maintained the Egyptian months, called Pharmouthi.

Secular texts

Although most of the texts uncovered at Oxyrhynchus were non-literary in nature, the archaeologists succeeded in recovering a large corpus of literary works that had previously been thought to have been lost. Many of these texts had previously been unknown to modern scholars.

Greek

Several fragments can be traced to the work of Plato, for instance the Republic, Phaedo, or the dialogue Gorgias, dated around 200–300 CE.

Historiography

The discovery of a historical work known as the Hellenica Oxyrhynchia also revealed new information about classical antiquity. The identity of the author of the work is unknown; many early scholars proposed that it may have been written by Ephorus or Theopompus, but many modern scholars are now convinced that it was written by Cratippus. The work has won praise for its style and accuracy and has even been compared favorably with the works of Thucydides.

Mathematics

The findings at Oxyrhynchus also turned up the oldest and most complete diagrams from Euclid's Elements. Fragments of Euclid led to a re-evaluation of the accuracy of ancient sources for The Elements, revealing that the version of Theon of Alexandria has more authority than previously believed, according to Thomas Little Heath.

Drama

The classical author who has most benefited from the finds at Oxyrhynchus is the Athenian playwright Menander, whose comedies were very popular in Hellenistic times and whose works are frequently found in papyrus fragments. Menander's plays found in fragments at Oxyrhynchus include Misoumenos, Dis Exapaton, Epitrepontes, Karchedonios, Dyskolos and Kolax. The works found at Oxyrhynchus have greatly raised Menander's status among classicists and scholars of Greek theatre.
Another notable text uncovered at Oxyrhynchus was Ichneutae, a previously unknown play written by Sophocles. The discovery of Ichneutae was especially significant since Ichneutae is a satyr play, making it only one of two extant satyr plays, with the other one being Euripides's Cyclops.
Extensive remains of the Hypsipyle of Euripides and a life of Euripides by Satyrus the Peripatetic were also found at Oxyrhynchus.

Poetry

Latin

An epitome of seven of the 107 lost books of Livy was the most important literary find in Latin.

Christian texts

Among the Christian texts found at Oxyrhynchus, were fragments of early non-canonical Gospels, [Oxyrhynchus Gospels|Oxyrhynchus Oxyrhynchus Gospels|840] and Oxyrhynchus 1224. Other Oxyrhynchus texts preserve parts of Matthew 1, 11-12 and 19 ; Mark 10-11 ; John 1 and 20 ; Romans 1 ; the First Epistle of John ; the Apocalypse of Baruch ; the Gospel of Thomas ; Shepherd of Hermas, and a work of Irenaeus,. There are many parts of other canonical books as well as many early Christian hymns, prayers, and letters also found among them.
All manuscripts classified as "theological" in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri are listed below. A few manuscripts that belong to multiple genres, or genres that are inconsistently treated in the volumes of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, are also included. For example, the quotation from Psalm 90 associated with an amulet, is classified according to its primary genre as a magic text in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri; however, it is included here among witnesses to the Old Testament text. In each volume that contains theological manuscripts, they are listed first, according to an English tradition of academic precedence.

Old Testament

The original Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC. This translation is called the Septuagint, because there is a tradition that seventy Jewish scribes compiled it in Alexandria. It was quoted in the New Testament and is found bound together with the New Testament in the 4th and 5th century Greek uncial codices Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus and Vaticanus. The Septuagint included books, called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical by some Christians, which were later not accepted into the Jewish canon of sacred writings. Portions of Old Testament books of undisputed authority found among the Oxyrhynchus Papyri are listed in this section.
  • The first number is the volume of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri in which the manuscript is published.
  • The second number is the overall publication sequence number in Oxyrhynchus Papyri.
  • Standard abbreviated citation of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri is:
  • Context will always make clear whether volume 70 of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri or the Septuagint is intended.
  • P. Oxy. VIII 1073 is an Old Latin version of Genesis, other manuscripts are probably copies of the Septuagint.
  • Dates are estimated to the nearest 50 year increment.
  • Content is given to the nearest verse where known.
VolOxyDateContentInstitutionCity, StateCountry
IV656150Gen 14:21–23; 15:5–9; 19:32–20:11;
24:28–47; 27:32–33, 40–41
Bodleian Library; MS.Gr.bib.d.5OxfordUK
VI845400Psalms 68; 70Egyptian Museum; JE 41083CairoEgypt
VI846550Amos 2University of Pennsylvania; E 3074Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
U.S.
VII1007400Genesis 2–3British Museum; Inv. 2047LondonUK
VIII1073350Gen 5–6 Old LatinBritish Museum; Inv. 2052LondonUK
VIII1074250Exodus 31–32University of Illinois; GP 1074Urbana, IllinoisU.S.
VIII1075250Exodus 11:26–32British Library; Inv. 2053 LondonUK
IX1166250Genesis 16:8–12British Library; Inv. 2066LondonUK
IX1167350Genesis 31Princeton Theological Seminary
Pap. 9
Princeton
New Jersey
U.S.
IX1168350Joshua 4-5 vellumPrinceton Theological Seminary
Pap. 10
Princeton
New Jersey
U.S.
X1225350Leviticus 16Princeton Theological Seminary
Pap. 12
Princeton
New Jersey
U.S.
X1226300Psalms 7–8Liverpool University
Class. Gr. Libr. 4241227
LiverpoolUK
XI1351350Lev 27 vellumAmbrose Swasey Library; 886.4

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

Rochester
New York
U.S.
XI1352325Pss 82–83 vellumEgyptian Museum; JE 47472CairoEgypt
XV1779350Psalm 1United Theological SeminaryDayton, OhioU.S.
XVI1928500Ps 90 amuletAshmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XVII2065500Psalm 90Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XVII2066500Ecclesiastes 6–7Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXIV2386500Psalms 83–84Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L352250Job 42.11–12Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LX4011550Ps 75 interlinearAshmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4442225Ex 20:10–17, 18–22Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4443100Esther 8:16-9:3Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK

Old Testament Deuterocanon (or, Apocrypha)

This name designates several, unique writings or different versions of pre-existing writings found in the canon of the Jewish scriptures. Although those writings were no longer viewed as having a canonical status amongst Jews by the beginning of the second century A.D., they retained that status for much of the Christian Church. They were and are accepted as part of the Old Testament canon by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches. Protestant Christians, however, follow the example of the Jews and do not accept these writings as part of the Old Testament canon.
  • PP. Oxy. XIII 1594 and LXV 4444 are vellum.
  • Both copies of Tobit are different editions to the known Septuagint text.
VolOxyDateContentInstitutionCity, StateCountry
III4034002 Baruch 12:1–13:2, 13:11–14:3Property of
The General Theological Seminary
and held at the Bishop Payne Library of Virginia Theological Seminary
Alexandria, VAU.S.
VII10103502 Esdras 16:57–59Bodleian Library
MS.Gr.bib.g.3
OxfordUK
VIII1076550Tobit 2
not LXX
John Rylands University Library
448
ManchesterUK
XIII1594275Tobit 12
vellum, not LXX
Cambridge University Library
Add.MS. 6363
CambridgeUK
XIII1595550Ecclesiasticus 1
Palestine Institute Museum
Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley
California
U.S.
XVII20694001 Enoch 85.10–86.2, 87.1–3Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XVII2074450Apostrophe to Wisdom Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4444350Wisdom 4:17–5:1
vellum
Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK

New Testament

The Oxyrhynchus Papyri have provided the most numerous sub-group of the earliest copies of the New Testament. These are surviving portions of codices written in Greek uncial letters on papyrus. The first of these were excavated by Bernard Pyne Grenfell and Arthur Surridge Hunt in Oxyrhynchus, at the turn of the 20th century. Of the 127 registered New Testament papyri, 52 are from Oxyrhynchus. The earliest of the papyri are dated to the middle of the 2nd century, so were copied within about a century of the writing of the original New Testament documents.
Grenfell and Hunt discovered the first New Testament papyrus, on only the second day of excavation, in the winter of 1896–7. This, together with the other early discoveries, was published in 1898, in the first volume of the now 86-volume work, The Oxyrhynchus Papyri.
  • The third column refers to the now standard sequences of Caspar René Gregory.
  • ? indicates a papyrus manuscript, a number beginning with zero indicates vellum.
  • The CRG number is an adequate abbreviated citation for New Testament manuscripts.
  • Content is given to the nearest chapter; verses are sometimes listed.
VolOxyCRGDateContentInstitutionCity, StateCountry
I2250Matthew 1University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia
Pennsylvania
U.S.
I3069500Mark 10:50.51; 11:11.12Frederick Haskell Oriental Institute
University of Chicago; 2057
Chicago
Illinois
U.S.
II208=1781250John 1, 16, 20British LibraryLondonUK
II209350Romans 1Houghton Library, HarvardCambridge
Massachusetts
U.S.
III401071500Matthew 10-11Harvard Semitic Museum; 3735Cambridge
Massachusetts
U.S.
III4022501 John 4Houghton Library, HarvardCambridge
Massachusetts
U.S.
IV657250Hebrews 2–5, 10–12British LibraryLondonUK
VI8470162300John 2Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew YorkU.S.
VI8480163450Revelation 16Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew YorkU.S.
VII10082501 Corinthians 7–8Egyptian MuseumCairoEgypt
VII1009300Philippians 3–4Egyptian MuseumCairoEgypt
VIII1078350Hebrews 9Cambridge University Library, CambridgeCambridgeUK
VIII1079300Revelation 1British LibraryLondonUK
VIII10800169350Revelation 3–4Robert Elliott Speer Library
Princeton Theological Seminary
PrincetonU.S.
IX11690170500Matthew 6Robert Elliott Speer Library
Princeton Theological Seminary
PrincetonU.S.
IX1170400Matthew 10–11Bodleian LibraryOxfordUK
IX1171250James 2–3Harvey S. Firestone Memorial Library, PrincetonPrinceton
New Jersey
U.S.
X1227400Matthew 12Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown
Pennsylvania
U.S.
X1228250John 15–16Glasgow University LibraryGlasgowUK
X1229250James 1University of IllinoisUrbana, IllinoisU.S.
X1230350Revelation 5–6Franklin Trask Library
Andover Newton Theological School
Newton
Massachusetts
U.S.
XI135302063501 Peter 5United Theological SeminaryDayton, OhioU.S.
XI1354600Romans 1Joseph S. Bridwell Library
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TexasU.S.
XI1355250Romans 8–9Cambridge University LibraryCambridgeUK
XIII1596250John 6Palestine Institute Museum
Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley
California
U.S.
XIII1597250Acts 26Bodleian LibraryOxfordUK
XIII15982501 Ths 4–5; 2 Ths 1Ghent University LibraryGhentBelgium
XV1780250John 8Museum of the BibleWashington, D.C.U.S.
XV1781=208250John 1, 16, 20British LibraryLondonUK
XVIII2157400Galatians 1Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXIV2383250Luke 22Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXIV2384250Matthew 2–3, 11–12, 24Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXIV2385350Matthew 19Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXXIV/LXIV2683/4405200Matthew 23Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XXXIV2684300JudeAshmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L3523150John 18–19Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4449300James 3–5Sackler Library
Papyrology Rooms
OxfordUK
LXIV4401250Matthew 3–4Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXIV4402300Matthew 4Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXIV4403200Matthew 13–14Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXIV4404150Matthew 21?Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXIV4406500Matthew 27–28Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4445250John 1Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4446250John 17Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4447250John 17/18Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXV4448250John 21Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI4494350Matthew 10Sackler Library
Papyrology Rooms
OxfordUK
LXVI4495250Luke 17Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI4496450Acts 26–27Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI4497250Romans 2Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI4498250Hebrews 1Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI4499300Revelation 2–3, 5–6, 8–15Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXVI45000308350Revelation 11:15–18Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXI4803250John 1:21–28, 38–44Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXI4804350John 1:25–28, 33–38, 42–44Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXI4805250John 19:17–18, 25–26Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXI48064th/5th centuryJohn 21:11–14, 22–24Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXII48444th/5th century1 Corinthians 14:31–34; 15:3–6Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXII48454th/5th century2 Corinthians 11:1-4. 6–9Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXIII49343rd/4th century1 Peter 1:23-2:5.7-12Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXIV49685th centuryActs 10–17Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXXI52583rd/4th centuryEphesians 3:21–4:2, 14–16UnknownUnknownUnknown
LXXXI52593rd century1 Timothy 3:13–4:8Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXXXVII5575late 2nd centurySyncretistic: portions of Matt 6, Luke 12, Thomas 27

New Testament apocrypha

The Oxyrhynchus Papyri collection contains around twenty manuscripts of New Testament apocrypha, works from the early Christian period that presented themselves as biblical books, but were not eventually received as such by the orthodoxy. These works found at Oxyrhynchus include the gospels of Thomas, Mary, Peter, James, The Shepherd of Hermas, and the Didache. Among this collection are also a few manuscripts of unknown gospels. The three manuscripts of Thomas represent the only known Greek manuscripts of this work; the only other surviving manuscript of Thomas is a nearly complete Coptic manuscript from the Nag Hammadi find. P. Oxy. 4706, a manuscript of The Shepherd of Hermas, is notable because two sections believed by scholars to have been often circulated independently, Visions and Commandments, were found on the same roll.
  • P. Oxy. V 840 and P. Oxy. XV 1782 are vellum
  • 2949?, 3525, 3529? 4705, and 4706 are rolls, the rest codices.
VolOxyDateContentInstitutionCity, StateCountry
Early Writings------
LXIX4705250Shepherd, Visions 1:1, 8–9Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LXIX4706200Shepherd
Visions 3–4; Commandments 2; 4–9
Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L3526350Shepherd, Commandments 5–6

Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XV1783325Shepherd, Commandments 9
IX1172350Shepherd, Parables 2:4–10

British Library; Inv. 224LondonUK
LXIX4707250Shepherd, Parables 6:3–7:2Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
XIII1599350Shepherd, Parables 8
L3527200Shepherd, Parables 8:4–5Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L3528200Shepherd, Parables 9:20–22Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
III404300Shepherd
XV1782350Didache 1–3Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
Pseudepigrapha------
I1200Gospel of ThomasBodleian Library
Ms. Gr. Th. e 7
OxfordUK
IV654200Gospel of ThomasBritish Library; Inv. 1531LondonUK
IV655200Gospel of ThomasHoughton Library, Harvard
SM Inv. 4367
Cambridge
Massachusetts
US
XLI2949200Gospel of Peter?Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L3524550Gospel of James 25:1Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
L3525250Gospel of MaryAshmolean MuseumOxfordUK
LX4009150Gospel of Peter?Ashmolean MuseumOxfordUK
I6450Acts of Paul and Thecla
VI849325Acts of Peter
VI850350Acts of John
VI851500Apocryphal Acts
VIII1081Gnostic Gospel
II210250Unknown gospelCambridge University Library
Add. Ms. 4048
CambridgeUK
V840200Unknown gospelBodleian Library
Ms. Gr. Th. g 11
OxfordUK
X1224300Unknown gospelBodleian Library
Ms. Gr. Th. e 8
OxfordUK

Other related texts

  • Four exact dates are marked in bold type:
VolOxyDateContentInstitutionCity, StateCountry
Biblical quotes------
VIII1077550Amulet: magic text
quotes Matthew 4:23–24
Trexler Library; Pap. Theol. 2
Muhlenberg College
Allentown
Pennsylvania
U.S.
LX4010350"Our Father"
with introductory prayer
Papyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
Creeds------
XVII2067450Nicene Creed Papyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
XV1784450Constantinopolitan Creed Ambrose Swasey Library
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Rochester
New York
U.S.
Church Fathers------
III405250Irenaeus, Against HeresiesCambridge University Library
Add. Ms. 4413
CambridgeUK
XXXI2531550Theophilus I of Alexandria
Peri Katanuxeos
Papyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Unknown theological works------
XIII1600450treatise on The PassionBodleian Library
Ms. Gr. Th. d 4
OxfordUK
I4300theological fragmentCambridge University LibraryCambridgeUK
III406250theological fragmentLibrary; BH 88470.1
McCormick Theological Seminary
Chicago
Illinois
U.S.
Dialogues ------
XVII2070275anti-Jewish dialoguePapyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
XVII2071550fragment of a dialoguePapyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Apologies ------
XVII2072250fragment of an apologyPapyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Homilies ------
XIII1601400homily about spiritual warfareAmbrose Swasey Library
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
Rochester
New York
U.S.
XIII1602400homily to monks University Library
State University of Ghent
GhentBelgium
XIII1603500homily about womenJohn Rylands University Library
Inv R. 55247
ManchesterUK
XV1785450collection of homilies Papyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
XVII2073375fragment of a homily
and other text
Papyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Liturgical texts ------
XVII2068350liturgical fragmentsPapyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
III407300Christian prayerDepartment of Manuscripts
British Library
LondonUK
XV1786275Christian hymn
with musical notation
Papyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Hagiographies ------
L3529350martyrdom of DioscorusPapyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
Libelli ------
LVIII3929250libellus from between
25 June and 24 July 250
Papyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
IV658250libellus from the year 250Beinecke Library
Yale University
New Haven
Connecticut
U.S.
XII1464250libellus 27 June 250Department of Manuscripts
British Library
LondonUK
XLI2990250libellus from the 3rd centuryPapyrology Rooms
Sackler Library
OxfordUK
Other documentary texts------
XLII3035256warrant to arrest a Christian
28 February 256
Papyrology Room
Ashmolean Museum
OxfordUK
Other fragments------
I5300early Christian fragmentBodleian Library
Ms. Gr. Th. f 9
OxfordUK